


The Road Trip

by DarkPhoenixGoddess10



Series: Richard and Anne: One-shots [37]
Category: The White Queen (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-07
Updated: 2016-03-07
Packaged: 2018-05-25 05:31:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,680
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6182431
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarkPhoenixGoddess10/pseuds/DarkPhoenixGoddess10
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Anne and Richard got engaged; but Anne knew Richard's mother Cecily could be difficult. So to get to know her better, Anne and Richard planned a road trip with both of their mothers invited.</p><p>That did not go so well.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Road Trip

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MichisAccount](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MichisAccount/gifts).



Looking at her left hand, Anne was more than happy.

She was engaged.

Richard York proposed and she said yes.

Soon she would be a bride.

But there was one sour note: she would have to meet Richard's mother.

Her sister Isabel and Richard's brother George were already a married couple. Isabel had told her that Cecily - mother to George and Richard - is a character and hard to get. Back when Isabel and George got engaged, they invited their parents and Anne to visit them in Florida, where Cecily resided. Anne and her parents met Cecily and didn't think too much of her. Cecily did have her way to talking, but Anne just took her as a typical mother-in-law. After spending two days with them, Anne asked her parents if they can spend some time touring the coast of Florida. After all, it was a long trip for them and they didn't want to spend all the time around Isabel, George, and Cecily. So they politely turned down Cecily's offer to stay a couple more days at her house.

Who could've thought that she would take it this seriously?

No one knew exactly what she had said to Isabel and George but she did not speak to the Nevilles for six months.

Not even on Isabel and George's wedding - where Ann greeted her and she simply brushed her off.

Still, Anne wondered if she could get along with her future mother-in-law. After all, Richard was very close to her mother.

Indeed, she had seen the selfies Richard took with her.

So she picked up a phone and called her mom, Ann, and told her that she and Richard got engaged.

"Honey, I love you and I am happy for you," Ann Beauchamp-Neville told her. "But you know what this means."

"I don't know what you are talking about," Anne replied, playing dumb.

"Richard's mother," Ann said. "Boy, did she give Izzy a hard time."

"Mom, I know that Izzy doesn't like Cecily," Anne said. "But still, she is George and Richard's mother. We need to get along, all of us."

The conversation with her mother did not last long. It made Anne a bit upset that her mother refused to get to know Cecily better, knowing that would probably upset Richard.

***

When Richard came home that day, Anne looked a bit down.

"What's wrong?" Richard asked.

Anne gave him a soft smile. "I told Mom about us."

"And?"

"And she apparently is still upset about...about..."

"About my mom?"

Anne said nothing.

"Anne, this has to stop," Richard said. "I know my mother can be difficult sometimes, but we are going to be a family. I don't live with my mom and you don't live with yours. But still, we all need to get along."

"I agree," Anne nodded.

"I have an idea," Richard said. "Why don't we plan a road trip..."

***

Ann loved road trips. To her, it was a wonderful opportunity to explore the country. It was fun and adventurous; and it helps her to take her mind off things. When Anne invited her to join them on a road trip, Ann couldn't be more thrilled. She felt that she hadn't done a mother-daughter thing with Anne for a long time.

She packed her things and got on a plane to meet up with Anne at San Francisco.

She assumed that Richard would be there too because Anne invited her to join _them_.

However, after she got off the plane, she found Anne meeting up with her, alone.

"Where's Richard?" She asked.

Anne coughed. "He went to get his mother."

Instantly, Ann Beauchamp's face darkened.

"Mom, please," Anne begged. "Richard really likes all of us to get along. Maybe you will get to know Cecily better."

"Annie, sweetie, tell me the truth," Ann Beauchamp said. "You are not planning to move anywhere near here, are you?"

"No."

"Good!"

"Come Mom, let's go outside and wait," Anne said, changing the subject. "Richard may be here now."

_With his mother._

***

Richard and Anne sat in the front; while Cecily and Ann Beauchamp sat in the back.

It was a long drive of silence.

It was the typical awkward moment that everyone finds it the best that nobody says a word.

"Can we find a hotel?" Anne asked, finally breaking the silence.

It was getting dark.

They found a small one. While Richard was checking in, Anne spotted Cecily looking around for something.

"Do you have food available?" Cecily asked very loudly.

"No," the hotel owner told her. "It's after eight. All places are closed."

Ann Beauchamp was hungry as well; but she saw the vending machine and decided to get some chips.

Suddenly, a shriek and wailing caught everyone's attention.

It was Cecily, burst out crying.

"Cecily, what is the matter?" Ann Beauchamp went to her.

"Food," Cecily wailed. "All the food is gone!!!!"

Richard tried to look away and Anne pretended nothing happened.

***

The next morning, the four went to a diner opened for breakfast. Cecily ate as if she hasn't had food for ages.

And that wasn't the end of it.

She stuffed muffins and bagels in her pocket - as many as she could. Ann Beauchamp tried hard to hold down her disgust.

When they hit the road again, Cecily was eating loudly in the back. Ann Beauchamp asked for a pillow. She said that she need to sleep; but her real reason was to not to look at Cecily.

The trip wasn't entirely as bad.

They made a handful stop to admire the sceneries.

But then Cecily had to take a picture of everything she sees, which annoyed Anne to extreme.

"If I hear her camera click one more time," she whispered between her teeth to Ann Beauchamp.

Finally, she understood was Isabel was talking about. At times, she was so annoyed with Cecily that she almost wanted to push her off the cliff.

"Would you like me to take a picture of you?" A passer-by asked.

"Sure," Richard said and gave him his camera.

He, Anne, Ann Beauchamp, and Cecily got together.

"Okay, everybody smile!"

***

The road trip lasted a week.

Ann Beauchamp couldn't be more than happy to be back into a house with hot water and a comfortable bed. The four of them got back to Richard and Anne's place.

Once they entered the house, a foul smell came to them without a warning.

"What in the world-"

They looked around and then immediately, they knew the reason behind the foul smell - their dog Gareth, who was sitting on the floor with his poops all around.

Anne and Richard adopted Gareth a month before their engagement. Gareth was a happy dog but he got some health issues. Richard had paid a dog walker to take care Gareth in their absence; and he had specifically informed the dog walker that Gareth need to be walked more than just twice a day.

So the dog walker had walked him maybe three times a day.

But apparently it wasn't enough.

"Home Depot now!" Anne shouted.

She and Richard raced back to the car and went to Home Depot to get equipments to clean and shampoo their carpet.

Ann Beauchamp and Cecily waited for them at the porch because the house was stunk too much.

Richard and Anne returned and did everything they could to clean up the house. After hours of hard work, the house was okay for everybody to breathe though it still smelled funny.

Ann Beauchamp slept on the couch while Cecily slept in the guest room.

***

The next morning, Anne was in the kitchen making breakfast.

"Need some help?" Ann Beauchamp asked.

"No mom, I got it!"

Anne made eggs and bacons.

"We need coffee!" Cecily demanded.

Rolling her eyes, Anne went to the coffeemaker but found it broken.

Cecily got up and left the house.

An hour later, she returned coffees from Starbucks - but just two; one for herself and one for Richard.

And none for Anne and her mother.

"I need to go for a walk," Anne said evenly. She gave Richard a look.

The two stepped out; and from the window, Ann Beauchamp could see the two of them bickering and arguing.

The two came back with an announcement: their engagement is over.

***  
Anne angrily sat on the bed with her arms folded. She refused to speak to anyone.

Richard went out for some drinks.

Both were hands down miserable.

"Would you talk to me?" Cecily walked into her room.

"No," Anne said. "You are the reason of our break up. You are the typical mother-in-law from hell who ruins your son's marriage because you are a pathetic widow with no one to love. We invited you and my mother to this road trip so we can all get along. But no, you have to ruin it."

"I know you are angry with me, but please do not leave Richard."

That caught Anne by surprise.

"In all my life, I never seen Richard this upset before," Cecily went on.

Anne turned her head away.

Seeing her thus, Cecily placed a piece of paper on her nightstand.

"This is list of Dickon's favorite food, things he's allergic to, and the medication he needs for his back."

Anne held her breath until Cecily left the room. After she's gone, Anne threw a book against the closed door.

***

She found Richard at the house went she took out the trash.

She looked at him and he looked at her.

After a moment, they embraced.

"My mom, we will only see her sometimes a year," Richard promised. "But I will see you every day."

"I will never leave you again," Anne said. "But only if you mother does not live within 30 miles from us."

The two went on and on.

Anne did not tell Richard about the list of things that Cecily gave her.

In her heart she knew that if she loves Richard, then she had to accept Cecily.

Nope, she would not like Cecily, ever.

But she will always be Richard's mother.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoy this.
> 
> I need some prompt to get me back in writing :)


End file.
